Consumers' appetite for more performance and functionality from a portable handheld wireless communications device (such as a cellular telephone) typically outpaces developments in battery technology and low power consumption electronics. Thus, manufacturers of such devices are forced to find better ways of dealing with reduced battery life and high temperature effects (thermals). Various power management processes have been developed as software that runs in desktop and laptop personal computers, to better manage the computer's power consumption while providing a reasonable level of performance for the user. For instance, so-called low power techniques use display screen dimming and processor clock throttling to lengthen battery life. In other cases, the speed of a cooling fan inside the computer is modulated, to regulate the internal temperature of the computer, i.e. control thermal situations in the computer. More recently, the power consumption of certain integrated circuit components in a portable laptop or notebook personal computer have been controlled or managed, to improve thermal characteristics therein.